Commissioner of Correction v. Ferguson

This case was reported by a Superior Court judge without decision to the Appeals Court pursuant to G. L. c. 231, § 111, and Mass. R. Civ. P. 64, 365 Mass. 831 (1974). We granted the Commissioner’s application for direct appellate review. The question reported is: “In the case of a mentally competent prisoner refusing treatment necessary to save his life, is involuntary treatment that is appropriate under the standards set forth in Commissioner of Correction v. Myers, [379 Mass. 255 (1979)], Superintendent of Belchertown State School v. Saikewicz, 373 Mass. 728 (1977), and other cases,…